Learning To Let Go
by KS4EVA
Summary: One day turns Stephanie's life completely upside down. Will her family and friends be able to help her pick up the pieces?Chapter 12 Now Up! COMPLETED FIC! Please R&R!
1. Chapter 1

Learning To Let Go

Author's Notes: I do not own nor do I know any of these characters in this fic. This story is completely fictional, it was simply written for entertainment. Some parts of this fic may not be suitable for people under thirteen years of age.

Chapter One

"Maybe I should come with you to drop Adriana at your house." Stephanie said to Paul, walking over to the H2.

Paul had been struggling with securing the toddler car seat in the middle of the back seat.

"No, you have three meetings at headquarters today." Paul said, finally seat belting the car seat firmly into place. He stepped out of the SUV and gave his wife a hug.

"It's a seven hour trip, and we'll have a romantic dinner for two before a nice long intimate weekend." Paul whispered in her ear as Steph rested her head on her husband's broad shoulder.

"Ooo, an intimate weekend, we haven't had one of those in a while."

She gave Paul a peck on the lips before they turned their attention to their two year old daughter, Adriana, who sat playing with her plush pooh doll in the front yard.

"Winnie the Pooh!" She shouted with glee as she threw the stuffed animal into the air and attempted to catch it.

"Hey baby Pooh Bear, say goodbye to Mommy, it's time to go." Paul called to his daughter.

The two year old smiled and ran to her mother. Steph picked her up and hugged her tight. Stephanie breathed in deep; this was her first time being separated from her child for more than a day. The smell of animal cracker crumbs from snack time filled her nose as she gave her little girl a kiss.

"Must you always get crumbs on your clothes?" Steph asked in some what of a laugh as she brushed off the toddler dress.

"Want me to put her in her seat?" Asked Paul reaching for his little girl.

Steph handed her off to him and watched as he sat her in her car seat.

"We go bye byes, Daddy?" She asked as Paul brought the safety straps around to her chest and clipped them into place.

"Yes, we're going to go see Grandma and Grandpa in New Hampshire. You're going to visit with them for the weekend. It will be fun." Paul said before giving his daughter a kiss on her forehead.

"Is Mommy coming too?" Adriana asked looking in her mother's direction.

"No honey, it's just you and Daddy, Mommy has to work."

"Oh!" She said swinging her little feet that dangled from the seat. "Where's my pooh bear?"

Steph quickly grabbed the stuffed animal from the front lawn and handed it to her little girl.

"I love Pooh!" She exclaimed, hugging the toy tight.

"I love you, my little pooh bear." Steph whispered to her child, giving her a kiss on her soft rosy cheek.

"Love you Mommy." She said putting the stuffed bear's head to Steph's face.

"Pooh gives you a kiss too."

Stephanie smiled and gave the stuffed toy a kiss before climbing out of the H2.

"Love you." Paul said before giving Steph a passionate kiss. She ran her hands through his dirty blonde hair savoring his takes; his beard tickling her face.

"I'll call you." Paul said as he got into the driver seat.

"Okay, I'll leave my cell on vibrate while I'm in the meetings." Steph replied as Paul popped a piece of gum into his mouth.

Steph folded her arms and watched as the H2 backed out of the driveway and drove off.

Stephanie sat at the head of the conference table. She listened to a member of the creative team as he presented a storyline to her and the rest of the team. She felt her phone vibrate on her belt. Steph flipped it open, revealing a text message.

"I love u" was displayed on the screen. Stephanie smiled and brought her right thumb to her key pad.

"I love u 2" She typed and sent.

Paul smiled reading Steph's reply, before he put his cell in the cup holder next to him. The H2 was mostly quiet except for the sound of the windshield wipers sweeping back and forth as the rain beat down on the automobile.

"Tut tut, it looks like rain!" Levesque heard Adriana cry out from the backseat.

"Yeah it's raining pretty hard. We need it though, it hasn't rained in weeks." Paul said as he glanced at his baby girl in the rearview mirror as the SUV barreled down the interstate.

"Sing the Winnie the Pooh song, Daddy!"

"I don't know the whole song, only mommy does."

"Sing some of it, PLEASE!"

"Okay, I'll sing part of it and you help me with the rest, okay?"

"Okay!"

"Winnie the…."

"Pooh!"

"Winnie the…"

"Pooh!" She screamed again making her Pooh Bear dance in her lap.

"Tubby little cubby all stuffed with…"

"Fluff!"

"He's Winnie the…"

"Pooh!"

"Winnie the…"

"Pooh!"

"Willy nilly silly old…"

"Bear!" Adriana screamed tossing her stuffed pooh into the air. She struggled to catch it, but it fell onto the floor of the SUV.

"Pooh fell down, Daddy." She said to Paul.

"We'll get him at the next rest stop, sweetie."

"I'll get him." She said in a sweet little voice as she unbuckled her car seat straps.

"Adriana, don't unbuckle your seat." Paul said as he looked in the rearview mirror.

She paid no attention for she wanted to get her favorite pooh bear that had fallen on the floor. Adriana climbed out of her car seat and crawled to her stuffed toy.

"Get back in your car seat!" Paul said again, this time sterner and somewhat frantic as he was now turned around looking at his daughter.

Paul unbuckled his seatbelt and tried reaching for his daughter to reprimand her and have her sit back in her seat.

"I got him…" She said aloud as Paul turned back to look at the road just in time to see that the car in front of him had stopped. Paul immediately slammed on his brakes and swerved, trying his best to miss the car. The SUV traveled into the right lane just in time for a huge eighteen wheeler tractor trailer to plow into the back of it.

Crashing metal, screeching tires and the sound of shattering glass erupted all at once. It all happened in a blink of an eye. Other road travelers quickly stopped and got out of their automobiles. The sight was horrific. The police, fire department and medics quickly responded and the road was closed off.

Red flares illuminated the road as well as a soiled pooh bear that lay in a bed of shattered glass as the rain continued to fall. Sirens screaming to be heard in the distance.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Stephanie walked from the kitchen into the dinning room. She carried two plates of food she had spent two full hours preparing. She placed the two plates on the table with care. She wanted everything to be perfect for her and Paul's dinner for two.

"Any minute now." She said aloud to herself as she lit two candles that sat in the middle of the dining table.

Steph smiled, setting down the lighter. She looked down at her diamond watch. 9:29…

"Geeze, take your time, Paul." Stephanie said with a laugh as she went into the kitchen to grab the salad bowl.

Ding dong

Stephanie quickly grabbed the salad bowl and made her way to the front door. She opened the door. Suddenly her heart sank as she saw a state trooper standing on her doorstep.

"Yes officer…..Can-can I help you?" Stephanie asked, she felt a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something wasn't right. Where was Paul?

"Mrs. Levesque?" The officer asked.

"Yes…"Stephanie said, her face now showing her uneasiness.

"Mrs. Levesque… I-I hate to be the bearer of bad news…Your husband and daughter…" The officer stopped and shook his head. He looked down at his feet.

"What about my husband and baby! Where are they!" Stephanie asked trying to look out her front door behind the officer.

"They're gone Mrs. Levesque. There was an accident on the highway. They both died on impact…I'm sorry."

"No!...No…" Stephanie gasped as she dropped the salad bowl that smashed on the hard wood floor. Millions of little tiny pieces of glass scattered around on the floor, mixing in with the fresh salad Steph had lovingly prepared for her husband and her to share. Just like the glass bowl, Steph's reality and the life she knew came crashing down.

"Woah, Mrs. Levesque?" The officer shouted as he caught Stephanie who almost dropped to the floor.

"Where's my baby! Where's my husband! My husband is coming home for dinner…He's on his way. Paul's coming home for dinner!" Stephanie screamed through tears.

"Mrs. Levesque, please calm down. Why don't you go sit down." The officer said trying to help Stephanie to her feet.

"NO! NO! Get off of me! PAAAUUULLL! PAUL!" Steph screamed at the top of her lungs as the police officer allowed Steph to pull away from him. He grabbed his radio and asked for a medic team.

"Where's my baby! Where's Adriana! She's fine! She's- she's at her grand parents' house! She's fine! Paul's on his way home! He's- he's coming home and- and we're going to have dinner together and have the whole weekend to ourselves!" Steph now dropped to her knees right in front of the door as she began to sob.

The medic team was quick to respond. They rushed in and helped a still sobbing Stephanie to the living room couch where they administered a syringe full of sedative to calm her down.

"Paul….Paul…" Stephanie whispered as she breathed heavily staring off into space as the drugs began to take affect.

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"Oh Steph!" Linda said through tears, quickly rushing to her only daughter who now sat in an almost dazed state.

The past four hours were like a clouded dream for Stephanie. The medics remained at her home. They feared her trying to hurt herself. Vince and Linda drove from Connecticut as soon as they heard the news from Paul's parents.

"Stephanie, honey, why don't you come home with us. You shouldn't be alone." Vince said as Linda pulled Stephanie into her arms and embraced her. For the first time since being medicated, Steph responded. Stephanie grabbed hold of her mother forcefully hugging her as she began to sob into her mother's chest.

"It's okay, baby. Let it out." Linda said in a soothing voice that put Stephanie somewhat at ease as she stopped crying for a moment. She released her embrace and looked into her mother's eyes.

"Why did this happen to me?" Steph asked on the verge of crying again. "Why Paul and our baby? I don't understand…"

"Mrs. Levesque…"A police officer said as he walked up to where Stephanie and Linda were seated. "I thought you would like to have this. It was found at the scene."

Stephanie looked down at the somewhat soiled and damp pooh bear that was in the officers hand. The sight of her little girl's favorite stuffed animal sent Stephanie over the edge again as she grabbed the bear from the officer and clutched it to her chest, letting out an agonizing shriek as if her insides were being ripped out of her body.

"Haven't you guys done enough? You've done your job, please leave." Vince said to the officer as his wife tried her best to comfort their daughter.

The officer slowly nodded his head and gave a head nod to his colleagues who were loitering in the vestibule. The medics packed up the little gear they had brought and left.

"Steph, come on, let's pack some things in a suitcase for you and you'll come back to Connecticut with your father and I. Shane, Marissa, and your nephews would love to see you." Linda said in a soft voice.

"No…No I can't leave my home. I-I have to make the arrangements…" Steph said through her tears and she leaned her head on her father's broad shoulder.

"Honey, you don't have to make the arrangements, if you want your father and I will-"

"No…I have to. Paul would have wanted me too…The police…they asks me if I would come down to the morgue and give a confirmation of their bodies…They said it wasn't completely necessary for they had his wallet with identification…Still…I think I may want to see them…One last time…"

"Steph, no, no you don't want to see them like that. You're better off remembering how they were. Seeing them like that…It will only make it harder on you, Stephanie." Linda said brushing Steph's hair behind her ear as Vince cuddled Stephanie close.

"…The police…said…Adriana…went-went right through the windshield…She wasn't-wasn't in her car seat…" Stephanie sobbed as Vince tried shooshing her.

Vince himself was having a very hard time keeping his composer. Nothing like this had ever happen in his family. There had never been such a tragedy of this magnitude. He didn't know what was worse: Finding out that he had lost his son-in-law and grand daughter in one day or seeing his daughter on the verge of a nervous break down.

"Stephy, honey, it's going to be okay. Your mother and I are here and we're not going to leave you to face this alone. I love you so much, Stephanie." Vince said as his eyes filled with tears that gently cascade down his face.

Steph felt secure in her father's arms. The feeling of security only made her think of Paul. The way she would feel in his muscular arms, warm and protected. Stephanie had been looking forward to being held by the man she loved. Life had suddenly been turned upside down for Stephanie on a night that she had thought would be one of the best since her honeymoon. She was not in the arms of her husband, but her father, who was comforting her on the loss of what, was in fact her whole life….Her husband and child.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

Vince kept his word. He and Linda never left Stephanie's side as she made the arrangements for the funeral. She had decided to hold one funeral for both Paul and Adriana. Steph knew she couldn't deal with having to go through it twice; it was better to grieve all at once.

"Poor Stephanie…I've never seen her this way. She looks so sad." Torrie Wilson whispered to Stacy Keibler as they stood in the kitchen of Stephanie's home. Their eyes were focused on Steph who was staring out the window.

Stephanie was both mentally and physically drained. Attending the funeral of her husband and child was the hardest thing she had ever done in her life. She could hardly bare the sight of the two dark oak closed caskets by the alter in the church; the small casket with the pooh bear stuffed animal sitting on top of it. Steph had cried a river though the whole mass and at the burial as both the love of her life and her little girl were lowered into the earth.

"Can you imagine, Torrie? Having your baby and husband taken from you in one day?"

"Stephanie?" Said Kurt Angle as he walked up to an unresponsive Steph, "Oh Steph, I'm so sorry."

A single tear escaped her eye as she slowly turned to look at Kurt. Even though her makeup was a mess, her mascara under her eyes, Kurt still thought she looked absolutely beautiful. She had been nothing but a heart warming, kind friend to him since he started working for World Wrestling Entertainment. Now seeing her so upset was very disheartening to Kurt.

Stephanie began to cry hard again. Seeing the man who would frequently hang out with her and her husband backstage made her think about her husband. Kurt shook his head and pulled Stephanie into his arms.

"Oh Steph please, don't cry." Kurt said as he too began to get choked up.

Stephanie sobbed into his chest as he held her tight in his arms. She breathed deep, taking the sweet smell of after shave into her nostrils. The aroma combined with the feeling of his muscular arms holding her close, allowed Stephanie to fantasize that it was her husband, Paul that was holding her.

"Steph…anything you need. If you need someone to talk to, I'm always here for you. I wanted you to know that." Kurt whispered into Stephanie's ear as Steph nuzzled her head into his neck; her eyes closed as she sniffled.

"Thanks." Was all that escaped Stephanie's mouth before she let go of Kurt and walked away from him.

Kurt shook his head as a tear fell down his cheek. Angle knew how much Stephanie was suffering. The look on her face was the same look that he wore only one year ago. When Kurt found out that Karen had been cheating on him while he was on the road, he thought that his life was ending. Having to see his little girl leave with her mother was like the end of the world. Now seeing what Stephanie was going through, Kurt realized that divorce was rather trivial when compared to death.

"Why Stephanie?" Angle said allowed before rubbing his eyes with his hand.

Stephanie weaved through the sea of people all dressed in black that were loitering in her living room. She didn't want to mingle, and no one dared approach her. Everyone had paid their respects to her and said how sorry they were and how they wished there was something they could do. Other than the customary dialogue, none of the employees and family friends really knew what to say to her. Steph slowly went up stairs leading to the second floor. Once she reached the second landing, she quietly walked down the hall and stopped in front of a closed door. Her hand grasped the brass handle and allowed her access to the room. The door gave way to the Winnie the Pooh nursery. Stephanie brought her right hand up to her mouth, muffling her sobs as she gazed into her child's nursery. Everything was like it was before the accident; All the Hundred Acre Woods characters sitting neatly on the toddler bed. Steph slowly walked into the room. She sat on the edge of the little bed. Her hands grabbed hold of the little pooh bear pillow and clutched it into her arms. Slowly, she brought the pillow to her face and breathed in deep. The sweet smell of her little girl still lingered on the little pillow. Steph hugged it tight, it and the Winnie the Pooh stuffed animal, was all she had left to remember her baby by.

"Adriana….My baby…" Steph said through sobs as her mother was now in the door way to the room.

Linda quickly rushed to her daughter's side and took her into her arms.

"Oh Stephanie…Honey, you shouldn't be in here. It's too soon. You shouldn't torture yourself like this." Linda explained running her hands through Steph's soft hair.

Stephanie knew that going into the nursery would only make her miss her little girl more, but at the same time, it would remind her of what she had lost. Stephanie didn't want to ever forget her child. Adriana had been the most important thing in her life since the day she was born. She was not going to let her grieving block out the wonderful pure memories of her little girl. It was the memories that all parents cherish: the first steps, the child's first words. Stephanie had shared those wonderful experiences with Paul, and now it would only be her who would be looking back on those mile stones.

"I miss them so much, Mom." Stephanie said through tears. "I want my baby…"

Stephanie's terrible state made Linda begin to cry as she rocked her daughter who was cuddled up into her arms as if she was a little child. Linda rested her chin on her daughter's head.

"Shhh, it's going to be okay, sweetheart."

Both Kurt and Vince walked up to the doorway of the nursery.

"Vince…I think you need to take her back to Connecticut with you and Linda. I don't think she should stay her by herself. I'm really worried about her." Kurt muttered, trying to hold back his own tears.

"I've already tried, she refuses to leave." Vince whispered as both he and Kurt looked on at the sight of Stephanie crying her eyes out.

"Oh, Stephy…" Kurt whispered in a sigh as two tears fell from his eyes.

To Be Continued...


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

Days seemed to all run together as days turned to weeks. Linda had been staying at the house with Stephanie. Just getting Steph to get out of bed was a huge task in itself. Stephanie wanted to sleep the rest of her life away; as she saw it, life without her husband and child, was no life to her. Kurt was visiting for the day. Before the divorce, Angle's weekends were spent with Karen and Kyra. The now single life allowed Kurt to drive up to New Hampshire and visit his friend, Stephanie. He, like her other friends, was concerned for her well being.

"Stephanie, you have to eat." Linda said to her daughter.

A breakfast tray sat before Stephanie. She was propped up by two pillows in her king sized bed. She stared at the food, making no attempt to pick up the fork.

"If you don't eat then you are going to get weak. Come on Steph." Said Linda as she took the fork in her own hand. She stabbed a piece of egg on the fork and held it in front of Stephanie's mouth. Steph turned her head away and looked out the window to her right.

"She's not eating?" Kurt asked Linda as he walked into the master bedroom.

Linda shook her head and put the fork back on the plate. She looked over at Kurt who stood at her side.

"See if you can get her to eat. I'm going to go clean up the kitchen." Linda muttered to Kurt.

She got up and left the room as Kurt took her place at the edge of Steph's side of the bed.

"These eggs look good." Kurt said with a smile as he picked up the fork. "Your mom a good cook?"

Stephanie said nothing as she continued to stare out the window. Kurt ate the piece of egg that was on the fork.

"Mmmmm…She is a good cook. Here, try some." Kurt said forking another piece of egg.

"Oh shit…fuck…" Kurt said after the piece of egg fell off the fork and onto his dress pants.

A small laugh escaped Stephanie's mouth that caused Kurt to turn his attention away from his pants and on to Stephanie. She was now looking at him. Stephanie smiled weakly at him.

"There's that beautiful smile…I was afraid I'd never see it again." Kurt said smiling back at Steph. "Now, come on, eat some breakfast so I can look good in front of your mom."

Kurt stabbed a bite sized piece of egg onto the fork. He lifted it in front of Stephanie's face. Steph eyed the piece of food that was in front of her and slowly leaned forward and ate it. Kurt smiled as he started to retract his arm when Stephanie quickly grabbed a hold of his thick wrist.

"Kurt…You don't have to do this…" Stephanie whispered, looking up at him.

"Steph…I want to. You're one of my best friends, and you know I don't have friends that are girls. You were there for me through my divorce with Karen…after I found out she was cheating on me…I care about you Steph."

Steph smiled slightly as her eyes began to get watery. Kurt leaned forward, grabbing the hand that had been holding his wrist and gently kissed it. He then gave the hand a quick pat before backing away.

"How about another bite of food?" Kurt asked before Steph took the fork from him.

"I can feed myself…thanks." Steph said quietly as she slowly used the fork to gather food.

"Yes, by all means, feed yourself. I'm going to go see if I can help your mom with anything." Kurt replied as he got to his feet.

"Well…since you're going to the kitchen, grab some juice for me." Steph said, rubbing her eyes.

"Will do."

Kurt quickly disappeared, leaving Stephanie all alone in the spacious master bedroom. Steph's new found willingness to eat did not overshadow the feeling of being incomplete that she acquired upon her husband and baby's death. Being in the room and bed that she and Paul shared was a constant reminder of his absence.

Stephanie slowly turned to her right. Her eyes gazed upon the pillow on her husband side of the bed. It was where Paul had laid his head every night of their weekends at home. The thought of never sharing the king sized bed with her husband again, shattered all the optimistic thoughts that Stephanie's friends and family were trying to plant in her mind. Steph started to cry as she slowly placed her head on her husband's pillow. Pressing her face in the satin pillow, she began to sob.

"Paul, Paul, Paul…" She repeated over and over again through her sobs.

She grabbed hold of the pillow and forced her face deeper into the pillow as if she was smothering herself with it. Steph tried desperately to breath in her husband's scent; the sweet smelling cologne that she longed to have fill her nostrils, if only one more time. Things that were once trivial, things that Stephanie wouldn't have given a second thought were now all she had to remember the family she once had. As much as Stephanie tried to smell her husband's scent, it was no use. Her congestion denied Stephanie of the comfort she longed for.

"Stephanie, honey, it's okay, come on." Linda whispered soothingly as she ran in and placed the juice down on the night stand next to the bed.

Linda lovingly helped Stephanie sit up in bed. She brushed Stephanie's beautiful brown locks of hair away from her face, allowing Stephanie's tear stained face to be fully exposed.

"Mom…I-I don't know if I can go on without them…Paul and our baby…They are my life…I don't want to go on without my baby and my husband!" Steph sobbed as Linda held her close; doing her best to comfort her daughter.

Linda wished there was something she could do to take her daughters pain and grief away. She could never imagine losing Vince and her children. Why did her daughter have to go through this hellish nightmare?

"I know baby…It's okay…Shhh…Life will go on, honey…I know it seems hopeless now…Eventually you'll over come this…I know you will…You are so strong Stephanie. You're so much stronger than I could ever hope to be." Linda said; her too beginning to cry as she tightened her arms around her daughter.

Kurt had heard Stephanie from downstairs. He now entered the master bedroom with a wash cloth in his right hand. He made his way to the side of the bed and sat next to Linda who was still hugging Stephanie.

"Here, it's cool, put it on her head, it will make her feel better." Kurt instructed, handing the cold cloth to Linda.

He watched intently and Linda laid the cold cloth across Stephanie's forehead. She sighed feeling the cold compress chill the dull drilling ache that was a king sized headache.

"I need Paul…" Steph muttered as both Kurt and Linda hushed her, trying to get her to calm down.

"It's going to be okay, Steph…I promise." Kurt said taking hold of his friend's right hand.

Steph felt the large masculine hand take hold of hers. It reminded her of Paul and her wedding back in 2003. She remembered how Paul had taken her hand in his for the first time after they were pronounced man and wife; how Paul and held her while she was giving birth to their first and only child, Adriana. Stephanie squeezed Angle's hand as if she was trying to recapture the labor pains of her beautiful child coming into the world; that glorious moment after all the pain and pushing when her baby girl cried out for the first time; The look on Paul's face as they welcomed their new baby daughter into the world. It was all gone in one single day.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

"Don't you feel so much better getting out?" Torrie asked Stephanie as they strolled together in a New Hampshire park.

"Paul and I used to walk in this park in the evenings sometimes…" Stephanie said, clasping at his wedding band that she wore around her neck on a gold chain.

It was a beautiful spring day. Torrie really hoped that a walk in a park would brighten Stephanie's spirit, since she had been cooped up in the house for weeks.

"You know Stephanie…" Torrie began, putting her arm around her best friend. "I think it'd be best if you'd go stay with your parents in Connecticut. There's too many memories in that house. You can't possibly move on with your life if you are constantly being reminded of Paul and Adriana."

Stephanie turned to Torrie. Her face wore the look of devastation. Torrie knew at once that she had said something wrong as she saw Stephanie begin to nervously force her wedding ring up and down her finger with her thumb.

"Move on! Torrie, why does everyone want me to move on! Am I supposed to just pretend that I never had a husband and a daughter! Is two months too long to be grieving for the two most precious people in my life! Huh!" Stephanie hollered at her friend. She was beginning to get upset.

"No! Steph, I never said that! I-I didn't mean you should forget about them…All I'm saying is, you are only making yourself suffer. Having to be reminded of Paul and Adriana everyday isn't allowing you to function. You know Paul would have wanted you to succeed and continue to mold and shape WWE. Are you going to be able to make him proud by lying in bed all day?" Torrie asked her friend, handing her a tissue from her purse.

"No…" Stephanie muttered, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"And if you think you're the only one with problems, you should have heard what happened to Kurt Angle."

Torrie decided to switch topics. She had gotten her point across to Stephanie. There was no reason to continue to pursue the topic.

"What happened to Kurt?" Stephanie asked, her face of genuine concern for her friend.

"Karen's trying to get sole custody of Kyra. She's trying to convince the judge that Kurt's an unfit father."

"Kurt's a great father. I've seen him with Kyra…She-she's his life." Stephanie said before blowing her nose into the tissue.

Stephanie had always admired how great Kurt was with his daughter Kyra. There was never a doubt in her mind if Kurt was a capable parent. Why would Karen do such a thing? As if cheating on Kurt wasn't enough.

"Yeah, Kurt is really sweet. Your mom told me he's been coming over every weekend to check on you. That is so sweet. Especially from a guy who's wife is single handedly dismantling his life. Poor guy." Torrie commented enjoying the picturesque scenery that New Hampshire had to offer.

"Maybe I do need to get away, Torrie." Stephanie muttered, looking down at the paved walkway was they strolled in the park.

"Yeah, for a month or two, you know." Torrie added, agreeing with Stephanie.

"I can stay with Mom and Dad. They already invited me to stay with them." Steph said, now looking in the distance as they continued to walk.

"Parents are such a blessing. I remember when I was going through my problem with an eating disorder. My mom and dad were there for me every step of the way. I couldn't have worked through the eating disorder without them." Torrie explained.

"Yeah, my mom has been great. Dad's been really busy with work, but Mom's been taking such good care of me….Kurt is too. He wanted to feed me breakfast. I told him that I could feed myself." Stephanie chuckled as she brushed her hair behind her ears.

"Oh my God, are you serious. Wow, Kurt Angle has to be the sweetest guy in the world."

"Torr, what time is it? I forgot my watch and Dad is coming over at six to fix the garbage disposal."

"Ooo, ten till six." Torrie said looking at her watch.

Stephanie arrived home just in time to see her father pull up in a jet black limo. He wore his usual business suit. He had just flown in on his jet straight from Pennsylvania where SmackDown had been taped.

"Dad, are you sure you want to fix the garbage disposal in your suit?" Steph asked following her father into the kitchen.

"Yeah, it's no big deal, Steph." Vince said pulling off his coat and setting it on the counter. He rolled up the sleeves of his dress shirt. "So what's wrong with the disposal?"

"It won't turn on, I think it's clogged or something." Stephanie said, flicking on the switch to show her father that it wasn't working.

"Alright, shut it off, and I'll go under the sink and open it up. It is probably clogged."

Steph flicked the switch into the off position and then sat in one of her kitchen chairs to watch her father work.

Paul was always the handyman around the house...With Stephanie's supervision of course. In Paul's absence, Vince had been helping Stephanie fix things around the house for the past month. He figured it was the least he could do. Most of the time, Vince was preoccupied with running the company. Stephanie's brother, Shane, would sometimes help out, though he had enough on his plate, juggling work and his wife and two kids.

"Something's stuck in the pipe." Vince stated. He lay on the kitchen floor, both hands under the kitchen sink. "See if you can get something to poke into the drain. We may be able to poke it loose."

Stephanie got up and grabbed a screw driver from the tool kit that was sitting on the countertop. She stood over the kitchen sink, using her right hand to brace herself. She began to wedge the screwdriver deep inside the drain.

"Just a little further in Steph, I think you're knocking it loose." Vince said after peering up with a flashlight where the drain pipe connected to the disposal.

"Ouch!" Stephanie yelped as she quickly instinctively drew her hand from the drain. A small clanking was heard coming from the drain pipe only for a second or two.

"What happen? What was that coming down the pipe?" Vince asked trying to shine light down the pipe.

"I cut my finger on a blade and oh my God!" Stephanie yelled as Vince quickly got up off the floor.

"My ring! My wedding ring! It came off when I pulled my hand out of the drain! Find it Dad! We have to find it!" Stephanie screamed, she was starting to hyperventilate as she went to stick her other hand in the drain.

"Woah, no, take your hand out of there. Let me see if I can find it." Vince said, pulling Stephanie away from the kitchen sink.

Vince cautiously stuck his hand down the drain. He felt the screw driver handle and quickly removed the tool from the drain. Grabbing the flashlight, he shown the light into the drain pipe.

"I don't see it Steph. I think it went all the way down. The ring was probably heavy enough to unclog whatever was stuck in the drain. It's gone now." Vince said, in a some what matter of fact tone.

"We're taking this sink apart, I HAVE to have that ring…It's my wedding ring, Dad! Paul had it made just for me!" Stephanie began to sob as Vince had to restrain her for stuffing her bloodied left hand into the drain again.

"Steph! Steph! Stop this! I'll call the plumber to come out and see if he can retrieve it. Until then, come sit down so I can patch up your cut." Vince instructed, holding his daughter back.

"Daddy, I need that ring! I need my wedding ring!" Steph hollered, as she continued to sob while Vince began to apply some antiseptic to her cut.

"Let's keep our fingers crossed that they find it, okay?" Vince whispered, trying to comfort his daughter as he applied a band-aid to her finger.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stephanie stood motionless, watching intently as the plumber disassembled the kitchen sink and the pipe leading to the underground plumbing.

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Levesque. The ring must have gone completely down the drain. My guess is it's on the way to the water treatment plant." The plumber said, looking up at Stephanie from the kitchen floor.

"This is all my fault! I should have taken the ring off before helping Dad!" Stephanie said as the tears began to flow. She slumped down to the floor, clasping Paul's wedding band around her neck.

"Come on, Steph. It's okay, honey. Let's pull ourselves together." Vince said helping his daughter to her feet.

"Thank you, please just leave the bill on the counter after you're done the reassembly." Vince told the plumber before leading Stephanie into the living room.

"Shhh, it's okay, sweetheart. We've done all we can. Why don't you go upstairs and take a nap, you'll feel better." Vince said before giving his daughter a kiss on the forehead.

Nothing could make her feel better. She had lost one of the most treasured items she owned. Steph had lost the very symbol of Paul's undying love for her; the very thing that made her feel like a married woman. Her left hand felt bare. She had grown so accustomed to wearing her wedding ring that her hand felt naked without it. The loss of the ring made Stephanie think back to the moment when Paul slipped he ring on her finger for the first time. The way her heart had fluttered looking into his hazel eyes as he said his wedding vows with confidence and certainty. How the exquisite diamonds sparkled in the clear blue waters of the Hawaiian Islands where they honeymooned.

"We can call the jewelers that Paul had bought the ring from. They probably still have his customization on file. They can make an exact duplicate." Vince whispered, trying to right the situation.

Stephanie looked into her father's eyes as she shook her head. She rubbed her bare left hand that was still somewhat sore from the cut.

"It's just not the same Daddy…" Stephanie said in a whimper. "I think it's time I came to live with you and mom back in Greenwich. I can't stay in this house anymore…It's killing me."

Vince pulled his little girl in for a hug. He was relieved to hear Stephanie say she was ready to stay with him and her mother. Both Linda and Vince had been trying to convince her of this since that terrible day they had arrived at the Levesque home to comfort their daughter. Vince ran his hand through Steph's long brown hair, much like he did when she was a little girl.

"Everything's going to be okay, Stephy. You just come home and everything will get better."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Stephanie had finally left the Levesque home. She had exchanged the memories of her husband and child for the memories of her youth. Greenwich hadn't changed a bit since her younger days living at home with her older brother and parents. The cozy southernmost town in New England was still unbelievably beautiful.

Stephanie awoke in the queen sized bed of her youth. She slowly sat up and looked around the room. The walls were decked out with posters and pictures of her teenaged years. A framed picture of the 1995 Cardinal Cheerleaders hung on the wall. New Kids on The Block posters on either side. Had this much time past since her teenaged years? Now in her thirties, Stephanie had almost forgotten about her high school days. The days of her care free innocence.

"Good morning, Steph."

Linda McMahon stood in the entrance to her daughter's room. Her daughter had just arrived last night and Linda was determined to make Steph's visit as pleasant has possible. Hopefully, Stephanie would be able to escape the living hell that was her life for the past two months so that she would have a chance to slowly rebuild her life.

"Morning, Mom." Steph replied as she swung her legs to the side of the bed. She stood and shuffled over to the cheerleading squad picture.

"Remember those days, Stephy?" Linda asked with a smile, now standing next to her.

"I had so much fun…Me, Jessica, and Amanda, we had a blast." Stephanie muttered, as if she were thinking to herself aloud.

"Well, get dressed, we'll go down to Greenwich Avenue, have some breakfast and shop."

Stephanie nodded with a smile before Linda left the room. Steph sighed, going into her suitcase that sat at the foot of the bed. Greenwich Avenue…The place for the best restaurants and boutiques that Greenwich has to offer. Stephanie had fond memories of mother-daughter outings that took place on that very street.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"This place is just like I remembered!" Stephanie exclaimed, placing a beige cloth napkin in her lap.

Versailles was a French restaurant that the McMahon family had dined at regularly. It was known for its outstanding pastries and cakes. A homemade breakfast was just what Stephanie needed.

"Now that Shane and Marissa moved back home, we come here for breakfast every Sunday." Linda explained with a smile as she accepted her breakfast plate from the waiter.

"How are my nephews?"

"Declan and Kenny? Oh they're precious. Declan reminds me so much of Shane. That little Kenny keeps Marissa busy. You know, typical little two year old." Linda remarked.

"Like my little Adriana…." Steph muttered looking away from her mother's gaze.

Stephanie's enjoyment of her homecoming was short lived. Her thoughts drifted to her little girl. Adriana was only four months younger than her cousin Kennedy Jesse. Stephanie was brought out of her day dream by the sound of her cell phone.

"Hello?" Stephanie said into the cell after opening it.

"Hey Steph, it's Kurt. How are you?"

"Oh hi Kurt. I'm good. I just got into Greenwich last night. Mom and I are out having breakfast. How are you?"

"I'm okay. You sound like you're doing great. I just called to check on you and to make sure you got into Connecticut okay."

"Well that was very sweet of you." Stephanie said smiling at her mom.

"Okay, well, if there's anything you ever need, don't hesitate to call me, okay?"

"All right…Thanks for the call, Kurt….bye."

Stephanie flipped her cell phone closed and returned it to her purse. She looked up at her mother who was smiling at her.

"What?" Stephanie said before taking a sip of her orange juice.

"Isn't that so nice of Kurt Angle to give you a call…What did he want?" Linda asked curiously before taking a bite of food.

"Just to see how I was doing. He's a great friend." Steph replied.

Linda raised her eyebrows and snickered after swallowing a mouthful of food.

"No Mom, it's not like that. Kurt and I are just great friends. We've both helped each other out through difficult times. Besides, how can you even think I'd be interested in another man? I still consider myself a married woman." Stephanie stated, grabbing hold of her husband's wedding band that was still around her neck on a gold chain.

"I didn't say anything, Stephanie." Linda said with a grin as she shook her head slightly.

"Well, I know what you're thinking…Don't. Even though Paul's been gone for two months, I'm still his wife."

"Stephanie, you know I don't expect you to fall head over heels in love with another man only months after your husband's passing." Linda said placing her hand over Stephanie's. She had made her daughter upset.

"Mom, I don't think I'll ever love again…" Stephanie said as a single tear formed in her eye and streamed down her face.

"Never say never, sweetheart." Linda whispered as she handed her daughter a tissue.

Stephanie quickly dried her eyes. She was tired of crying. In the past two months, she had cried enough tears to last her a life time. Besides, no matter how many tears she shed, they would not bring Paul or her baby girl back.

"I'm finished. I can't eat anymore." Stephanie said, setting her napkin on the table next to the plate.

After they finished at Versailles, Linda and Stephanie started hitting the boutiques. Stephanie pointed to Betteridge Jewelry and Linda followed her into the store. The store was very well known and prominent in Greenwich since 1897. Stephanie, her brother, and father had frequented the jewelry store to buy things for Linda. She had fond memories helping her father pick out exquisite necklaces, earrings, and rings from the glass display cases.

"Oooo, Steph, look at this! It's so beautiful." Linda exclaimed her finger on one of the display cases.

"Oh that's so pretty." Steph remarked looking at the necklace her mother was pointing at.

The necklace was solid gold with precious gems embedded in the necklace; each gem cut differently. The rubies, sapphires, and emeralds all shimmered in the show room spotlight.

"Can I help you?" A jeweler asked.

"Yes, I'd like to try on this necklace." Steph replied pointing.

"Oh Stephanie, it looks divine on you." Linda commented as she watched her daughter look at herself in the mirror with the necklace on.

Steph took off the necklace and asked the jeweler the purchasing price.

"Well, are you going to get it?" Linda asked.

"Yeah, why not, we all need to treat ourselves every once in a while." Steph said handing the necklace and then her credit card to the jeweler.

After the transaction was made, they left Betteridge. It was a beautiful spring day in Greenwich Connecticut. The trees fresh green leaves danced in the wind across the street in one of the many parks. Stephanie inhaled deep; filling her lungs with the fresh New England air. She was home.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

"Hi Aunt Steph-nie" Kenny said in the sweetest little voice as he climbed into Stephanie's lap.

Steph smiled hugging her youngest nephew back. Her first weekend back in Greenwich was celebrated with a family cookout. A billow of smoke rose from the grill that was being manned by both Vince and Shane.

"How are you Steph?" Marissa asked sitting next to Stephanie.

"I'm okay. Doing better." Stephanie replied taking one of Kenny's little hand in hers.

His hand was little and somewhat dirty from the backyard play. Kenny smiled at his aunt. His beautiful hazel eyes shimmering back at her. She felt him squeeze her hand and laugh; the heartwarming child laughter that Stephanie now longed to hear.

"Aunt Steph-nie, where's Adriana? I wanna play." Kenny asked innocently.

"Kenny, remember what we talked about? Why don't you go and play." Marissa interjected before Stephanie could even say anything.

Steph felt Kenny pull away from her hand as he got off her lap and ran off. Steph placed her now empty right on her lap as the tears began to form in her eyes.

"Oh Steph, I'm sorry. I don't think Kenny understands."

Stephanie nodded silently as she quickly swiped away the tears and inhaled. She had promised herself that she would not let anything keep her from enjoying the cook out her family had put together for her.

"Hey Steph."

Stephanie saw Kurt Angle making his way over to her. He wore a pair of kaki shorts and a tank top along with a nice black pair of sun glasses. He smiled as he walked up to her.

"Hi…" Stephanie said again wiping her face, making sure all the evidence of tears was in fact wiped clean from her face.

Angle removed his sun glasses revealing his nice vibrant blue eyes studying her. His eyes were kind and caring.

"Why don't we take a walk." Kurt offered, putting his sunglasses back on.

Stephanie looked over at Marissa who nodded signaling to Stephanie that it was a good idea. Steph shrugged and stood.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"So how did you know about the cook out?" Stephanie asked walking next to Kurt as they began to walk the perimeter of the McMahon's two acres.

"Your mom called me and told me. I hope you don't mind I came." Kurt replied looking over at his friend.

"No, I'm glad you came." Steph quickly replied giving him a nice smile.

"I think it's good you came to stay with your parents." Kurt said. "There's just something about the place where you grew up."

"Yeah, there is." Stephanie agreed as Angle fell silent.

"So Kurt, how's little Kyra? Have you seen her lately?" Steph asked trying hard not to seem too nosy.

Kurt said nothing for a minute as he removed his sun glasses and hooked them in her tank top.

"No…I haven't seen her…in three months." Kurt muttered softly in a low shaky voice. "I miss her so much…"

Angle stopped walking and stood still his eyes looking off into the distance. His faced illustrated how much he missed his little girl.

"I miss my little girl, too." Steph simply stated.

"I'm sorry Steph. I didn't mean to come here to make you feel bad." Angle said turning to face his friend.

Stephanie smiled weakly before embracing her friend. Her hands gently caressed his clothed back as she felt him tighten the hug.

"You don't know how lucky Paul was to have you. He loved you so much." She heard him whisper.

Never had one simple statement been so meaningful to Stephanie. What Kurt said made Steph truly believe that Paul did in fact know how much he meant to her. She closed her eyes remembered the text message. The very last thing her husband had said to her before his death. I love you.

"I need to know if you're going to be okay." Kurt said, now caressing Stephanie's face with his right hand.

Stephanie was still in some what of a trance. Her eyes still closed. Though she was still physically with Kurt, her mind was far away. She did not even notice that they were no longer hugging. She did however, feel the warm sensation of Kurt's hand rubbing her face. Steph instinctively nuzzled his hand, like the countless times her husband had lovingly touched her face.

"Steph? Are you going to be okay?" Kurt asked again, still concerned for his friend.

Stephanie finally opened her eyes. She was somewhat surprised that it was her good friend Kurt Angle who was staring back at her. Steph could see the genuine concern in his eyes; the way he rubbed her rubbed her soft cheek with his hand. He really did care for her.

"…Yeah…I'm going to be okay….Thank you, Kurt." Steph replied before slowly taking Kurt's hand off her face.

Angle quickly backed off. He had temporarily forgotten himself. He had let his feelings for Steph cloud his judgment. It had not been his intention to make Stephanie feel uncomfortable; that was the very last thing he wanted.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"No, it's okay. I'm just kind of tired." Steph said, her hand beginning to play with the wedding band on her necklace.

Kurt nodded noticing how Stephanie had grasped her husband's wedding band. It was as if she were holding onto Paul Levesque himself. Though he had already been dead for months, Paul was still very much a part of Stephanie.

"You know I should go, I've got a long drive back to Pittsburgh."

"Are-are you sure you don't want some food? A hot dog or hamburger?" Steph offered looking back at everyone on the patio.

"No…thanks. I'll talk to you later." Angle muttered smiling weakly at Stephanie.

"…Bye Kurt…" Steph said as she watched him walk away.

Stephanie watched Kurt quickly say goodbye to both Vince and Linda. He looked sad. She hoped that she hadn't made him feel like he had done anything wrong. Kurt was just being her friend. He was trying to show her how he cared.

Stephanie looked down at her necklace. She twisted the golden wedding band around with her fingers.

"Where's Kurt? We had a hot dog on the grill for him." Shane asked as he approached Stephanie who had not moved.

"He left…"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

Stephanie spent the next week reflecting on what happened with Kurt that past weekend. She remembered how uncomfortable he looked when she had removed his hand from her face. It was the face of someone who had been rejected. She had pushed him away when he was simply trying to be there for her in her time of need.

Stephanie knew why she had rejected Kurt's touch. His hand caressing her face was a comfort; it had soothed her yet at the same time reminded her of Paul. The classic butterflies in the stomach feeling that used to be all too familiar with her husband. It scared the shit out of her. Was she already subconsciously replacing Paul? She had promised herself to try and pick up the pieces of her shattered life but was she supposed to have romantic feelings for another guy? Could she just forget about Paul, Adriana and the happy family they were? No. It wasn't that simple. It couldn't be.

Steph held her cell phone in her hands. She was debating on whether or not to call him. What would she say to him? Sorry I made you feel like a complete ass only a few yards from my entire family?

She quickly flipped open her cell phone. The cell address book provided Kurt's cell number. She hit send. A few rings, a deep breath. Kurt's voice was heard on the other end.

"Hey this is Kurt, I'm not here right now but if you leave a message I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

Steph quickly ended the call. Hearing Kurt's recorded voice only raised the guilt she already felt. She couldn't bring herself to leave him a message. Stephanie didn't know how to even begin to explain herself.

"Well, did you talk to him?"

Stephanie looked to the door way to her room and saw her mother in the doorway. Steph shook her head as he mother joined her sitting on the bed.

"I tried calling him. It was his voice mail; I just couldn't bring myself to leave a message. I don't even know what I want to say to him." Steph admitted.

"Just tell him how you feel." Linda suggested.

Steph gently placed the cell phone on the antique oak end table next to her bed. She took a deep breath and sighed.

"I don't think I can call him, Mom. He's been one of my best friends. I don't think I could bare to know how much I've hurt and embarrassed him." Stephanie said, her face showing a look of dismay.

"Why don't you sleep on it, sweetheart? Thinks always tend to be clearer in the morning. A good night of sleep will make you feel better."

What Linda said would have been true, but Stephanie was unable to sleep peacefully. The bed sheets twisted and wrapped around her body as she tossed and turned. Her dreams were fragmented memories of the past few months. Steph's face contorted in pain, her jaw tightened as she moaned aloud. The night the police officer came to her about the news of her husband and child's death, the funeral, Angle's rejected attempt to reach out to her. All the pain of the past months was flooding back during her slumber.

Then suddenly Stephanie dreamt of Kurt unlike before. It was different then what she had already dreamt for it had nothing to do with her past grief or so she thought. He was in the rented SUV he had driven up to Connecticut in. She was watching him drive as if she were in the passenger seat next to him. There was complete silence. Not even the engine of the automobile could be heard. Steph was studying his face which slowly began to change. It was if everything was in slow motion as Kurt's eyes slowly widened and his hands firmly grasped the steering wheel. His beautiful blue eyes were full of fear. Steph, still in slow mo, turned her head in the direction Angle was looking. She looked just in time to see a careening tractor trailer smash into the front of the SUV.

The grueling impact made her slam back to reality as she jolted to a sitting position in bed. Stephanie was hyperventilating; her eyes wide open in the darkness. She brought her right hand to her face which was drenched in sweat. Steph sat in the darkness of her room as she tried her best at collecting her thoughts. She had just witnessed Kurt being killed just like Paul and Adriana. It was a nightmare.

"Just a dream" she told herself as she wiped the sweat off her brow. Her heart pounded in her chest, her pulse fluttering. She couldn't get the horrifying image of Kurt's terrified face; the face of a man who was about to meet his death.

Steph was able to deal with the resurfacing of her painful memorizes. It hadn't been the first time she had dreamt about Paul and Adriana's death. Witnessing Kurt being killed the same way caught Stephanie completely off guard. What did it all mean? Steph wasn't exactly sure. All she knew was that she had to see Kurt to tell him how she felt. The thought of losing Kurt Angle scared the shit out of her. This only further solidified how much Angle's friendship meant to her. How could she ever express to him how deeply she cared and how sorry she was?


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Stephanie hadn't been able to get much sleep after being awaked by the terrifying nightmare. When she got out of bed the next morning, she was still thinking about seeing Kurt in her dream. She went through the motions of her typical morning routine. A nice hot shower provided some comfort after a restless night. Once she had finished, she turned off the water before grabbing the soft blush towel from the near by rack. Steph gently dried each foot as she stepped out of the shower. She then pressed the towel to her damp face. After blow drying her hair, Steph dressed in a comfortable Ralph Lauren sweat suit. She planned to spend the day at her parents' house. While she still wanted to talk to Kurt, Stephanie thought she needed a day to relax.

"Hey Steph, want some breakfast, honey?" Linda asked as her daughter walked into the kitchen.

"No thanks, Mom. I'm not really hungry." Stephanie said as she sat down at the kitchen table where her father was already having breakfast.

"Steph, honey, you okay?" Vince asked placing the newspaper on the table.

"Yeah, I'm fine, Dad. I just didn't sleep well."

Stephanie ran her fingers through her long brown hair as the sound of the McMahons' doorbell chimed.

"Hmm, I wonder who that could be." Linda said aloud before exiting the kitchen to answer the door.

"Oh hi, well this is a surprise." Stephanie heard her mother say in the entrance way.

It was when her mother returned that Steph knew who their visitor was. Kurt Angle followed Linda into the kitchen. It was him, the same old Kurt. The second Stephanie laid eyes on him; it was like a load had been lifted. He was okay, He wasn't dead or in any kind of peril…from what she could see.

"Hey Kurt, what do we owe the pleasure?" Vince said with a smile as Kurt walked over to the breakfast table.

"Hi, how you doing Vince?" Kurt replied.

"Fine…Just spending a relaxing day at home. Don't get too many of those."

Kurt smiled at his boss before his eyes slowly strayed over to Stephanie. Their eyes met. Stephanie had already been studying his face. She hadn't been able to take her eyes off of him since the second he walked into the kitchen. Stephanie was so glad to see him. The cook out last weekend felt like it happened a life time ago. Maybe it was because of how badly she had wanted to see him.

"Is it okay if Steph and I go speak in another room…privately?" Kurt said, his eyes remaining on the boss's daughter.

"Of course, you guys go talk." Linda replied as Steph got up to follow Kurt.

Vince looked at Linda wondering what this was all about as Stephanie and Kurt felt the kitchen. Steph took him up to her room. She wanted to make sure they were completely alone. She didn't know what was going to be said.

Once Kurt followed Stephanie into the room, she closed the door before turning to face him.

"I had to see you." Kurt blurted out breaking the silence of the room.

"Kurt…About last weekend." Stephanie began walking up to Kurt.

"Steph, I was out of line. I'm so sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable."

Stephanie felt a lump in her throat as Kurt began to apologize for his tender touch that she had needed greatly. She didn't want him to have guilt because of his kindness.

"Stephanie…The last thing I'd ever want to do is hurt you. You're my best friend. I just don't want to ruin the great friendship we have. Steph, I respect your marriage to Paul." Kurt stated looking into her eyes. He was being sincere.

"Kurt…Paul is gone…" Stephanie muttered as tears began to well up in her eyes. She quickly wiped them away as soon as they reached her cheeks.

Angle hated seeing Stephanie upset. He quickly took her into his arms. Steph folded her arms around Kurt's broad neck. Kurt pulled her close, their bodies pressing together.

"I had to leave the cook out. I couldn't stand seeing you uncomfortable…and knowing that I was the cause of it." Angle whispered.

"No, you didn't do anything wrong. I didn't mean to push you away like I did. I was just…afraid." Stephanie admitted in a whisper.

"Afraid of what?" Kurt quickly replied letting go of their embrace and looking into her eyes. He began to caress her face with his hands. His thumbs running back and forth the line of her cheek bones.

Steph slowly placed her hands on his face. She rubbed his close shaven face with her hands. His face felt so different than Paul's. Kurt's face was soft and smooth. He had no facial hair. Steph gently put her forehead to his; their noses touching.

"I'm afraid….of falling in love with you." Stephanie whispered as if she was telling him a secret.

There was a second pause before Angle pressed his lips to hers. Steph sighed, allowing him access to her mouth as the kiss quickly turned passionate. Her eyes closed, it had been months since she had been kissed…not just kissed but really kissed. Paul had always been a great kisser. No, she had to stop thinking about him. This was different, this was Kurt. This was the guy who had been there for her when Paul and her only child had been taken from her. Stephanie opened her eyes, she saw Kurt. His eyes were shut, he held her tight in his arms. Stephanie was about to close her eyes when she caught sight of a family photo she had been keeping on her night stand.

Stephanie quickly pulled away from their kiss. Kurt looked at her completely confused; her eyes remained on the picture. The picture had been taken only a month before the terrible accident. Paul looked as handsome as ever in a fresh pressed suit. Adriana sat in her daddy's lap. She looked so happy and full of life. Steph saw herself with her husband and child…they were a family. Angle turned to look at what had caught her attention. Kurt took a deep breath and looked back at Stephanie.

"Paul's not gone…You're still in love with him. You can't be with me, can you?" Angle asked looking into her eyes.

Stephanie inhaled sharply. She met his gaze. The look on her face said it all. Tears began to cascade down her face as she brought her hands back to his cheek. She could feel his pain. Just like in the nightmare she had the night before, she was witnessing his destruction; the destruction of his heart.

"Kurt…"

Angle said nothing; he removed her hands from his face and placed them over Paul's wedding band that was around her neck. He then backed away from her.

"I guess it has to be this way…" Angle muttered before walking out of the room.

Stephanie was all alone in her room. Steph began to sob as she tried to process what had taken place. She had given in for her feelings for Kurt Angle. They had passionately kissed and for a moment in time, she had no worries in the world. It was gone. She had seen the family photo. The guilt had set in. Stephanie had again denied Kurt Angle access to her heart…but this time, Kurt had pulled away from her. As a sobbing Stephanie grasped Paul's wedding band she wondered…Had she missed her last fleeing chance to be happy?


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

"Paul….I need to now more than ever." Stephanie said aloud through tears.

Steph kneeled in front of her husband's grave. She had driven up to New Hampshire to visit his and their daughter's final resting place. Steph glanced over at the little head stone next to Paul's….Their daughter. She placed her hand on the carved stone; running her fingers over the engraved letters:

Adriana Marie Levesque

Mommy's Little Pooh Bear

July 29, 2006-October 13, 2008

A single tear fell from Stephanie's eye as she slowly brought her right hand to her mouth, and kissed her palm before resting her hand in the grass in front of her little girl's headstone. She closed her eyes for a moment before continuing on; explaining aloud to her deceased husband why she was there.

"Paul…I loved you and Adriana so much…You were my whole world. I didn't think this would ever happen to us. I thought we were going to grow old together…." Steph admitted looking at her husband's plot.

"That's why it's so hard for me to open my heart for Kurt. I don't know if I'm ready to let go of you…I don't know if I should….That Valentines Day you asked me to become your wife…it was one of the happiest days of my life. That first time we kissed…" Steph stopped in mid sentence as she began to get choked up.

"I felt like the luckiest women in the world…After you were taken from me…I didn't think I'd ever get that feeling again…Kurt kissed me yesterday…And I was alive again…And that scared me." She said wiping the tears from her eyes.

"I guess the reason I came to talk to you was…I want you to tell me what I should do…I need you to give me a sign…Tell me if it's okay that I pursue my feelings for Kurt. I can't do anything till I know you're okay with it. I love you so much."

Stephanie stood silent for several moments. She was waiting for something. Some kind of sign that let her know Paul had heard her; that he had listened to her. Steph jumped as she felt her cell phone vibrate. She slowly removed the phone from her belt clip. She opened it. Stephanie inhaled as she saw the incoming text.

"I love u." She read as it displayed on her cell phone. She quickly checked the sender number. It was Kurt's.

Stephanie smiled feeling a ray of warm sunshine on her back. Paul was listening. He was telling her it was okay. Paul wanted her to be happy. He wanted her to be able to move on with her life.

Was she absolutely sure? Steph naturally began to second guess the text message; though she remembered Paul's last words to her. It had been the exact same text. The text message that she had never told anyone else about…It was only between her and Paul. This had to be a sign from him. Even in death, he still love and cared for her; so much that he wanted Steph to put his and their daughter's death behind her and move forward in her search for happiness.

"I will always love you Paul and Adriana. No matter if I move on and start a new family. I will carry you with me. You two are a part of me." Stephanie whispered as she clutched her husband's wedding band in one of her fists.

"I'll always have this. I'll always wear it around my neck…Even if I vow to love another man." Stephanie promised before kissing her husband's wedding band.

Steph slowly rose to her feet. She took one last look at her baby and husband's graves. As she walked away from the cemetery toward her awaiting limo, she felt as if a huge load had been lifted from her heart. All the access baggage she had been carrying in her heart since her husband and daughter's death; all the guilt she had kept from having feelings for Kurt Angle had melted away.

Stephanie had thought Paul had left her all alone in death. He hadn't. Paul had been with her the whole time watching over her. He had been there in her time of greatest need. When she called upon him, he was there….she would never forget that. He was always going to be watching over her till they would meet again in the after life. Steph had to go to Kurt. She wanted to rebuild her life with him. The question was…Was he really the sender of the text or was it Paul letting her know it was okay to be with him. Would Kurt be willing to forgive her for putting him through love sick agony? Would he be willing to love her? Stephanie needed to find out.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Thanks to a phone call to her father, Stephanie had the WWE corporate jet waiting for her at an airstrip in New Hampshire. She was going to Kurt even though she didn't know if he would accept her or not.

Stephanie nervously drummed her fingers in her lap looking out the window of the jet. She didn't know what she was going to say to him. Steph wanted to simply fall into Kurt's arms and have him hold her close. She wanted him to tell her how much he loved and cared for her. Stephanie wanted to show Kurt that she in turn loved him and was now ready to express it. No. She couldn't just go to him and expect him to embrace her. She had some explaining to do. After all, it was her who had rejected any time Kurt would try and reach out.

It didn't take long for the jet to fly into Pittsburgh. Stephanie couldn't believe an hours time could go by so quickly. It had to be one of her shortest trips. A slick black limo was in fact awaiting her arrival. It was now just a short drive to Kurt and she still didn't know what it was she was going to say. As the flight was short, the limo ride felt like a blink of the eye.

This was it. Stephanie sat in the parked limo. She gazed out the tinted window at Kurt's home. Stephanie remembered her last visit to the Angle home. It had been Christmas a few years ago. Kurt and Karen had invited her and Paul among other employees to a Christmas party. She gazed at the front bay window, remembering how beautifully illuminated it looked on that cold winter night. Stephanie remembered how sweet and caring Kurt had been not just to his wife and daughter, but to each of his guests. Did Karen ever appreciate how hard Kurt tried to be there for her each and every weekend he came home from being on the road?

"Stephanie?" Kurt said some what surprised as Stephanie weakly smiled at him from the front porch.

"Can I come in?" Steph asked in a somewhat apologetic way.

"Yeah, of course, sure. Is something wrong?" Angle asked opening the front door wide, allowing Stephanie access to the vestibule of his home.

She was silent as she entered the house. Kurt watched her walk into his study before he closed the front door. It was when Angle entered the study that Stephanie turned to face him. Their eyes met; nothing was said. It was Steph that broke the silence.

"Did you send me a text?" She asked grabbing her cell phone from her purse. She opened it and showed him the text.

"No, I didn't..."Said Kurt, studying the short message.

Stephanie paused before snapping shut the cell phone. She looked away from his gaze as she stuffed it back into her purse.

"I didn't write it...but it's true..." Angle said, his hand reached out and touched her face.

Steph's eyes met his again. He smirked, caressing her soft cheek. She then closed her eyes, relishing the warmth of his hand.

"Stephanie...Listen...I'll wait for you...How ever long it takes you to be able to start rebuilding your life...I don't care...I'll be there..I love you." Kurt whispered getting closer to her.

Tears formed in her eyes as Stephanie pulled him close; her arms gently draped around his broad neck.

"You don't have to wait...I love you. I want to be with you now."

Angle smiled; Their noses touching a second before their lips met. Both Kurt and Stephanie sighed savoring each others taste. Just like the kiss before, it quickly turned passionate; this time however, Stephanie did nothing but give in to what her body had yearned for. Angle's hands quick found Stephanie's waist. She let out a giggle as he picked her up and set her on the finished wooden desk.

Stephanie had almost forgotten what it felt like to be dominated by man. It had felt like a lifetime since she felt Paul's loving touch. It was almost as Stephanie had forgotten the pure bliss of being in love and in turn having a man love her back.

She let a long sigh as she closed her eyes, feeling Kurt's kisses trailing down her neck. For the first time, in a long time...Stephanie felt beautiful and more importantly...Loved by a man. Kurt Angle was in fact truly in love with her...and she knew it. As Stephanie felt Kurt pull at the buttons of her blouse she could only wonder...Was this the start of something new?


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter Twelve

"We have to hurry if we want to beat the traffic." Stephanie stated. She stood by as Kurt loaded luggage into the black Cadillac Escalade rubbing her noticeably extended abdomen. It was a beautiful sunny day in an exclusive suburban community in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania.

"Almost all packed up…Where's Andy?" Kurt asked after tossing the last piece of luggage into the back of the SUV.

Stephanie looked around from where she stood for her and Kurt's four year old son. Both the driveway and front yard were empty. Andrew Vincent Angle was a very curious little boy who always liked to wander off.

"Andrew!" Stephanie yelled wearing a look of concern as Kurt approached her.

"It's okay, it's okay. He's probably just in the back yard. I'll go get him." Kurt said placing a hand on his wife's shoulder.

"No, I'm going to look for him too…He could be out in the street…A car could hit him."

An adorable little brown hair blue eyed boy crotched in the near by bushes. He giggled silently watching his mommy look for him.

Stephanie began started in the direction of the street but was suddenly stopped dead in her tracks as her child jumped out in front of her.

"Boo!" Andy shouted at his mother.

"Andrew Vincent Angle! How many times have I told you not to wander away from mommy! Huh!" Stephanie yelled taking him by his arm.

"I didn't go anywhere. I was right here…I wanted to jump out and surprise you…"Andy said through teary eyes. His mother's harsh and worried tone of voice had startled him.

Stephanie looked down at her little child. She gently wiped away his tears with her hand before picking him up. Steph strained just a bit picking up her son. She was eight months pregnant and at times felt like it was hard enough simply carrying her own weight around.

"He's okay, Steph. Honey, he's fine. You just scared him."

Stephanie didn't want to scare her little boy. She was always very over protective of him. When she had become pregnant with him, Steph had promised herself that she would keep her new child safe. She was determined not to make the same mistake with Andrew as she did with her first child…her little girl, Adriana.

"Want me to put him in the Escalade?" Angle offered holding his muscular arms out for their son.

"No, it's okay…I'll put him in."

Steph didn't want to let their son go. She would be lying if she said she didn't think about how lucking she was to be blessed with another child. Stephanie ran her fingers through Andy's brown locks as she made her way back to the SUV.

"Okay, let's make sure you're buckled in real good." Steph said to her son as she held him into his booster car seat.

"We're going to see Grandpa Vince and Grandma Linda now?" Andy asked looking up at his mother with his amazing sparkling blue eyes.

"Yup…and we're staying the whole week so you can play with your big cousins, Declan and Kenny."

"You don't have meetings, Mommy?" Andrew asked before grabbing his handheld gaming system that sat in the seat next to him.

"Nope, I took the whole week off so I could be with my three favorite guys." Steph replied kissing her son's forehead.

"Who's your three favorite guys?" Andrew shouted out as Steph was about to close the door.

"You, Daddy, and Grandpa Vince of course."

Andrew let out a laugh as she started up his brand new Game Boy and the car door slammed shut. Kurt smirked, approaching his pregnant wife.

"Ready to go honey? Need anything else before we go?" Kurt asked putting his arms around Steph; bringing her close so that he felt Stephy's belly pressing against his own torso.

"I'm fine. We're going to have to stop in about a half an hour anyway because Andy's going to have to go to the bathroom."

"Too many liquids…" Kurt chuckled before giving his wife a peck on the lips.

"No…If he doesn't drink a substantial amount of juice or water, he could get dehydrated."

"Mommy! Daddy! I wanna go! I wanna go to Connecticut!" Andrew shouted out from inside the running Escalade.

"Yeah, I guess we better load up." Kurt said before giving Stephanie another quick kiss. He then opened up the passenger door for his pregnant wife and helped her in.

"Let's burn rubber, Daddy." Andrew said to his father as he got into the driver seat.

"Alright, here we go." Kurt announced as the Escalade backed out of the driveway. Stephanie took a moment to gaze at her beautiful luxury home that her and Kurt had built together before they had Andrew. The home was somewhat different than her previous home in New Hampshire. It wasn't as modern and favored more of a traditional style layout.

"Let's hope we beat the traffic." Kurt muttered taking the ramp onto the highway.

"It's a nice day to travel." Stephanie said, her left hand playing with two rings on a gold chain she wore around her neck- her wedding ring, since her fingers had gotten puffy because of the pregnancy, and her late husband's wedding band. Steph's right hand lay draped on her tummy which was frequently getting kicked by her unborn child.

"Yeah, it is a nice day. I'm glad we could plan this family trip. We're always so busy."

Kurt glanced over at Stephanie who met his gaze. He then held out his hand to Stephanie. She smiled and without hesitation, removed her hand from the necklace and placed it in Kurt's.

Stephanie looked over her shoulder at Andrew who was busy playing his handheld Game Boy. Kurt had been a genius to buy it for the trip. While the portable gaming system was not cheap, it was worth its weight in gold keeping their rambunctious four year old quiet.

"Mommy! I won!" Andy shouted enthusiastically holding the small gaming system in the air for his mother to see the screen.

"Good job Andy!" Steph replied matching her child's level of excitement. He beamed at her, so happy that she was proud of his accomplishment.

"Nice job, son." Kurt said continuing to gaze at his wife as he held her hand in his.

This was it. Stephanie, once again, had a wonderful family that loved her. She had made it through the worst ordeal of her life; Losing everything that she treasured. Stephanie didn't know if she could have had the will to live if it wasn't for her family and friends. Paul and Adriana had been her whole world and in one unexpected visit in the night, they were gone.

Stephanie knew that she was not just a survivor of a tragedy. Steph had come to realize just how important the ones you love really are. She learned how important the little things, like hugging her child or being kissed by her husband, were actually things that if taken away would drastically change a person's life. It was the whole experience of losing her first child and first true love that made Stephanie even more appreciative for what she now had. After all her praying and hoping, God had listened to her. She had a new blossoming health family.

Stephanie focused deep into Kurt's loving bonnie blue eyes. There was no doubt in Steph's mind that he loved her. Some say that the eyes are the window into a person's soul…When Stephanie looked into Kurt's eyes, she saw the man she now wanted to spend the rest of her life with. Just like she had known Paul…Stephanie knew Kurt. He was the man who had always been there for her. It had to be fate. Stephanie McMahon was meant to be happy after all; If not as Stephanie McMahon-Levesque, then as Stephanie McMahon-Angle. Life was moving on; changing and reshaping Stephanie's views on life's experiences. She graciously welcomed changed…For the first time in five years, Stephanie felt like her old self….Sublimely happy.

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Author's Notes: I would like to take this time to thank everyone for taking the time to read this fic. I really hoped you all have enjoyed reading it as much as I've enjoyed writing it. Please to check out my past fics as well as the future fics I put on Thank you.


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